Kim Horton gets 8 years in prison for death of 9-year-old girl and injuring her mother

LANCASTER — A Canal Winchester man will spend eight years in prison for aggravated vehicular homicide and aggravated vehicular assault stemming from the death of 9-year-old Ruth Jones and severely injuring her mother on July 22 in Lithopolis.

The girl was selling vegetables with her mother, Elizabeth Jones, when Kim Horton, 68, lost control of his car and crashed into their yard on East Columbus Street killing Ruth and injuring Elizabeth.

Fairfield County Common Pleas Court Judge David Trimmer also suspended Horton's driver's license for life during the three-hour plea and sentencing hearing Thursday. However, Trimmer said there is a good chance the eight years will represent the rest of Horton's life and that he will not consider giving Horton an early release. Trimmer did give Horton credit for 218 days for time already served in jail.

Horton was facing 13 years for the crimes but agreed to eight years in a plea deal. County prosecutor Kyle Witt said Horton was impaired when he crashed his car.

Ten of Ruth's family members and friends gave statements to Trimmer and some of Ruth's personal items were on a display by his bench. One of those items was the shoes she was wearing when Horton killed her. The court also saw a photo of Ruth at her vegetable stand an hour before she died.

MORE: Kim Horton pleads not guilty to fatally striking girl, injuring woman with vehicle

The family members described Ruth as a smart girl who loved baseball, art, writing and music from the '60s, '70s and '80s. She also played the drums and was active at the Lithopolis United Methodist Church.

Elizabeth Jones was the last one to address Trimmer before he imposed the sentence. She spent four months in the hospital with a variety of serious injuries.

"The only child that I'll be able to ever have is gone," Elizabeth Jones said. "My husband doesn't have his only child and I am not the wife physically that he knew. My dad is robbed of his only grandchild. And my beautiful nieces and nephews are robbed of her in their lives. It's so difficult to explain to them and explain to her friends what happened."

Ruth's father, Ben Jones, also spoke. He said it's a miracle that his wife is here. She was pinned under Horton's car after the crash. Ben Jones said each one of his days started and ended with his daughter.

"I was usually the first one up in our house so I would wake Ruth up in the morning," he said. "Every morning began with me kissing her on the cheek and saying, 'Hey, girlfriend, it's time to get up.' She had a motor. She could stay up until midnight and every morning she was up and ready to go. She embraced life."

Horton expressed remorse before Trimmer officially sentenced him. Horton said he was out buying an anniversary card for his wife for their 33rd wedding anniversary the next day. He said the errand could have waited.

"I can't believe the amount of pain and suffering you guys have gone through during the course of the past 10 months and what your life's going to be like the rest (of their lives)," Horton said to Ruth's family and friends. "All of this could have been prevented if I would have just stayed home."

Horton said the tragedy "goes on through my mind every second of every minute of every hour every day. If I just would have been smarter."

Horton said he is a recovering alcoholic.

Elizabeth Jones did not look at him as he spoke. Ruth's uncle, Andy Hermann expressed anger at Horton, though, when he spoke.

"(Expletive) Kim Patrick Horton," Hermann said. "I hope you rot in prison."

As Trimmer closed the hearing, he spoke of the Jones family's religious faith and said he is also a Christian.

"I thank God for Jesus and he carries us through," he said. "That's all I can say. We can't explain why. We just can't explain why. Things just happen. But with that connection with Jesus, he's stronger than anything that we will be faced with to endure.

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"He will help us. You're going to see Ruthie again, there's no doubt that. She loved the Lord too. In a way, for all of us that's something to look forward to. To be in the presence of not just Jesus, but also Ruthie."

Witt said his heart goes out to the Jones family.

"It's just an incredible, incredible loss that they've endured," he said. "I'm impressed every time I meet with them and speak with them at the strength that they show. This was entirely preventable. That's what makes it so incredibly tragic. It was unnecessary and preventable."

jbarron@gannett.com

740-681-4340

Twitter: @JeffDBarron

This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Man gets 8 years for killing girl and her injuring her mother in July